Apocalypse
by Why not
Summary: A new challenge for the Z-fighters: a mysterious, deadly virus infects all humans on earth, and there seems to be no cure. Will Gohan, Goku and Vegeta be able to save their mates, children and friends before it’s too late?
1. Disaster strikes

My muse strikes again. Why am I always getting inspiration for new fics when I'm supposed to  
study? Oh well. I've had the rough outline of this story in my head for weeks, but never   
anything specific. Onto the story now!   
  
Apocalypse  
  
Chapter one: Disaster Strikes   
  
It all happened so quickly.   
  
For years, the Earth had been peaceful, without the slightest of trouble. I don't know what   
happened, but…I guess we all just let our guards down. Then again, there probably was   
nothing we could have done to prevent it.   
  
It had been three weeks since Pan, my baby daughter, had been born. Both Videl and I were   
currently working part-time so that at least one of us could be at home to take care of Pan.  
I knew my parents would have loved to take care of her, but we didn't want that yet. Perhaps  
later, but not now. She was our little angel. A sweet and calm baby, she hardly ever cried   
and we loved her very much. We both remember the day we brought her home. Pan was amazing.   
You could take just one look at her and see how beautiful she was. Her dark eyes sparkled   
with intelligence, and you could tell that this child was special. In short, we both adored   
her, and I honestly think those were the happiest days of my life. There was no need to save   
the earth from destruction or beat an insane super villain bent on either taking over or   
destroying Chikyuu. I was finally having a normal, peaceful life. The only 'catastrophe'   
that happened now was either the Water Bill had not been paid or we ran out of baby food.   
All I did was work, help Videl take care of Pan and spend as much time as possible with my   
family.   
  
Though one night, my perfect life changed once again…  
  
Videl came home early with a headache one day. I pampered her and saw to her every need.   
She rarely gets sick, and I enjoyed the opportunity to take care of both her and Pan. I like  
having them close to me. I know it's a little bit silly, but if something dangerous would   
happen when they were with me, I would be there to protect them. We both got to bed early,   
she because she didn't feel well and I because I had to work tomorrow. Her face was red and   
when I kissed her goodnight, I could feel her temperature was up. Illness makes me nervous.   
My family had always been healthy, the only time someone was sick was when my father had the  
heart disease, and that would have been fatal if it hadn't been for Trunks' antidote, I   
knew that.   
  
As I sat beside Videl staring at her, she turned and looked worriedly at me. Her blue eyes   
still sparkled with determination, but also, worry. I smile sadly at her. 'She must have   
sensed my fear for her health' I say to myself as I reached over and grasped her pale, warm   
hand. Videl gazed at me for a few moments before she smiled. "Don't worry Gohan, I'm sure   
it's just a little cold, flu, or something." I watched as she sat up on the bed and turned   
to some flu medicine I placed there earlier. " I'll take a dose of this, and Ill be better   
before you know it." She smiled at me again as she took a spoonful of the horrible tasting   
stuff. She placed the bottle shakily down on the table before lying back on the bed. She   
fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.   
  
I sat on the bed crossed legged, hunched over in deep thought. I had my doubts, after all.   
If it was the flu, it could take a while before she would be well again. I might need to   
take some days off to take care of her and Pan. I hoped my boss would give me some more days   
off. I had only started working one week ago, after taking one month of fraternity leave,   
and I had lots of work to do. Oh well, I thought, no use worrying about that now, after all,  
she might be right and then she'd be well again in no time. I kicked my legs up as I pulled   
the covers from underneath me. After coving Videl and myself up, I too fell into a restless   
sleep.   
  
Sometime during the night, I woke up to Pan's crying, for the fourth time that night. I   
glanced over at Videl, but she didn't stir. I sighed to myself as I willed myself out of my   
bed. I had to get to work in two hours and I was already very tired, but I couldn't wake my   
wife just now, she needed to sleep. Like I said before, Pan was usually a very calm, hardly   
ever crying baby, but not tonight. I had heard horror stories about newborn babies crying   
ALL the time, especially at night, thus completely exhausting their parents, but my little   
brother Goten hadn't done that, and neither had Pan this far. I hoped it was just a phase   
she was going through and not a permanent change. I'm a grown man, but I need at least   
eight hours of sleep, otherwise I am in a bad mood all day (according to Videl, that is). I   
got up and went to my daughter's room.   
  
"What is it sweetie?" I asked her when I picked her up. I checked and saw that she didn't   
need a diaper change, and I had bottle fed her just one hour ago. She was restless, moving   
and rolling her head from side to side. When I put my hand on her forehead, I noticed she   
was burning up.  
  
Fear began to well up in me as I looked at the face of my only child. As anybody with any   
common sense would know, it was not good for a child to have such a high temperature.  
  
Beating my fear back down, I told myself that it probably wouldn't be necessary, but I   
decided to call our doctor just to be sure. I took Pan in my arms and went down the stairs.   
I looked up the doctor's number and dialed it. No one answered.   
  
'Strange,' I thought. 'There's always someone there for emergencies…" After getting the   
phonebook from the cabinet, I called some other doctors in the neighborhood, but no one   
answered.   
  
I was getting a sick feeling in my stomach, something was definitely wrong. I know for   
sure there's always a doctor on call. I decided to call the Satan city hospital. "It's   
almost 20 miles away, but I could get there in no time if I'd fly" I muttered to no one as   
I franticly called. Again, no one answered. Slamming the phone down in frustration, I   
looked at my daughter. Her face was red and swollen, and she seemed to have trouble   
breathing. I needed to have a doctor check her over. I was almost out of the door when I   
realized it would be a good idea to tell Videl what's going on. If I didn't, she would get   
really upset if she'd find out both me and her baby had vanished. I went up to my bedroom   
and tried to wake Videl. When I touched her, I noticed her temperature was extremely high   
as well. No matter what I did, I couldn't wake her. I was starting to panic; apparently both   
my daughter and my wife were seriously ill, and there was not a single doctor to be reached.   
I decided to take my family to hospital myself. I gathered Videl and Pan in my arms, and   
flew to the hospital as fast as I could.   
  
I will never forget the sight that greeted me upon entry. People were lying everywhere.   
Some were all ready dead, and others were suffocating, fighting for every breath. As I   
looked panicky around for someone to help, to my horror, I finally realized that there was   
no help. The doctors and nurses all laid strewed across the floors and desk. Some dead and   
some alive. The stench of death penetrated my every being, threatening to overtake me, but   
again I suppressed the sick feeling of fear.   
On my left, I saw a young couple with a small child, no older that 5 or so. His dark hair   
was damp with sweat and his face was pale. As I walked by him, his face shot up. His green   
eyes stared at me, pleaded with me. His tear-streaked face was beet red, as he gasped out,   
"Please help me!"   
I hesitated. It is against my nature not to help someone in need, but there was nothing I   
could do for the boy. His parents were all ready dead and I needed to help my own family.   
  
'Selfish…'  
I heard a voice say to me. I shook my head no violently. I turned back to the boy, and I   
felt my heart sink as I shook my head. "I am sorry." I turned and rushed onward. From   
behind, I heard a small cry of sadness and despair come from the boy. Then silence.  
  
When I got to the first floor, nothing changed. There were bodies lying everywhere and when   
I looked into an operating room I could see only dead people. I methodically searched the   
entire hospital, but there were no living people. When I got down again, I saw the little   
boy I had passed earlier had died too. Now there was no one alive, the only sounds I could   
hear were the sounds I made. I was getting desperate.   
  
I sat down to think. There was no one to help here. Come to think of it, when I flew over   
here everything had seemed quiet. I needed to go to another hospital, but this was the only   
one I knew the location off. Was it only three weeks ago that Pan had been born here? It   
seemed like another lifetime to me. I rest Videl's head on my lap, while I held Pan in my   
arms. Videl opened her eyes and said: "Gohan?"   
  
"Yes?" I could barely speak. She looked horrible, struggling for every breath. If she   
wouldn't get help she would not survive!   
  
"Take care of Pan." She whispered weakly as she touched my face. Her words send shivers   
down my spine. Why would I need to take care of Pan? I shook my head in defiance. "Don't   
talk like that Videl. You're going to be all right, you'll see. I'll find a doctor. He will   
help you and Pan and we'll all go home, and I'll make you some of your favorite pancakes,   
every day until you're well again, and."   
  
Videl's head had jerked up at the mention of Pan. "Pan?" She whispered blue eyes filled   
with fear. "My baby… Is she all right?"   
  
No, Pan was not all right. She was just as ill as her mother, but I couldn't tell Videl   
that. It would only make her worry, and that would do her no good. I decided to lie to my   
wife, for the first time. I smiled warmly at her. "Pan is fine honey, she's sleeping right   
now, she had a low fever but she's all right." Upon hearing my answer Videl looked very   
relieved and I was glad I hadn't told her the truth.   
  
Videl looked strangely at me. "Gohan, what's wrong with me? I can barely breathe and I feel   
like I'm burning up…"   
  
I didn't know what to say, so I shrugged my shoulders and ran my hand through her dark hair.  
"Ssh, just be quiet and rest. I'll get you a doctor." ' One way or another', I added in   
thought. She reached for my hand, and said: "I love you." Her eyes closed, and she was quiet   
again, except for the sound of her labored irregular breathing. I listened to her breathing,   
in an odd way it was soothing and disturbing at the same time.   
  
In, out. In, out. In, out. Then nothing. Fearing the worst, I hesitantly held my hand above   
her nose and mouth, but I couldn't feel any air current. When I checked for a pulse, I   
didn't really expect to find one, but when I didn't it was still a shock. She had died in   
my arms. My mind went completely blank. I don't know how long I sat there, holding my dead   
wife. Eventually I could hear a coughing sound, and I came to my senses. What had happened   
seemed like a bad dream, a nightmare, but when I looked at Videl there was no denying it.   
She was dead.   
  
Feeling my chest clinch up in disbelief, I looked at her once more. "This cannot be   
happening." Still, it was all too real. She was dead, and there was nothing I could do a  
bout it. Despair and fear finally took over and I screamed, an anguished scream filled with   
the unbearable pain I felt inside my heart.  
  
I sit there, holding her still form and my gravely ill baby daughter. It was her cough that   
I heard. I gently stroke Videl's forehead and hold Pan close to me. She is still breathing,   
but barely. I rock her gently, for what seems like ages. "Don't worry sweetie, everything   
will be all right. We will wish your mother and all these other people back, and everything   
will be all right. Oh, Videl…"   
  
Tears are running down my cheeks, but I barely notice it. It's starting to get warm in here   
and my throat is tightening, but it doesn't matter. Videl, whom I loved more than anyone on  
this planet, whom I adored and cherished, is dead. After quite some time I regain my   
senses. My wife is dead, but my daughter isn't, if I could find someone to treat Pan she   
might survive. I quickly stand up, but that was a mistake. A sudden wave of nausea and   
dizziness overcomes me, and the last thing I remember before blacking out is trying to turn   
around so that Pan wouldn't hit the ground when I fall…   
  
End of chapter one.   
  
In the next chapter, both Goku and Vegeta find out that their mates have the same mysterious  
disease.   



	2. Body count: 6 billion deceased

  
Apocalypse   
  
Chapter two   
  
Authors notes: First of all, I wanted to thank my beta, Jedi_vegeta_18, for doing   
such a great job beta-ing. About the story: the previous chapter was told from   
Gohan's point of view, this chapter is going to be from both Vegeta's and Goku's   
point of view, as indicated by the GOKU or VEGETA above the text. ;-)  
  
VEGETA   
  
I think it was Bra's crying that woke me up. "Woman, your brat is crying," I   
grumble to her. I silently smirk. That always infuriates her. Last time I'd said   
something like that she'd blown up and gone on and on about how Bra's my daughter   
too, and why Bra's only her brat when she needs attention, and why I never take   
care of Bra. "For heavens sake, Vegeta," she'd say, " even YOU must be able to   
heat up one of the bottles in the fridge' and so on. Nothing of the sort happens   
though. Bulma just continues sleeping. I smirk once again; I must have really   
worn her out tonight. I scowl as Bra's crying is getting louder. I grab the   
blanket and pull it away from Bulma, that should eventually wake her up! After   
all, it's very cold. Still, nothing happens. I growl and try to go back to sleep,   
but Bra's crying is too annoying. " Damn my Saiyan hearing!" I mutter aloud. Of   
course I COULD get out of bed and feed my little princess myself, but why should   
I when the woman is here? After all, I'm the prince of all Saiyans and she's only   
a low class weak earthling. I thought we had a deal: she takes care of the brats,   
I ignore them. A fine deal if you ask me. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable; I   
don't like to hear my little princess crying, but I'll be damned if I get out of   
the bed! "Woman, are you deaf? Feed the brat!" I yell at her. Still nothing. This   
is getting ridiculous; I was yelling at twenty centimeters distance from her, she   
must have heard me that last time.   
  
I turn around and face her. She's looking beautiful as always, but something is   
not right. "Bulma?" I hesitantly say as I reach towards her. When I touch her   
face, it's cold. Too cold. It suddenly seems to get very quiet; all I can hear is   
the steady sound of my heartbeat and my breathing... Then it dawns on me: I can't   
hear her! She's not making any sound at all. I gripe her shoulder and try to turn   
her around, which is scarily too easy. She's as easily moved as a rag doll.   
  
I frantically try to find a pulse, but in my heart, I know it's useless. She's   
dead. My mate has passed away, and I wonder how in the world could I not have   
noticed? I shake my head, trying to get rid of all these confusing feelings. It's   
no use; my thoughts won't be silenced that easily. She's only 38 years old, this   
is impossible! She can't have died already, even humans live to be over one   
hundred years of age. I keep reasoning like this until I look at her again, then   
reality strikes. I've seen dead people countless times before, but those were   
people I had killed myself, or at least people I had seen killed in battle. I've   
never actually seen a person who had died a natural nonviolent death, but there   
was no denying it. She has died in her sleep. And because she died in her sleep,   
she can't be wished back with the Dragonballs. At this point my thoughts become   
as incoherent as my emotions.   
  
Bulma... No! It can't be. She can't be dead. We had been arguing the night before   
and I can't get the last thing she said out of my head: "You can deny it just as   
much as you want, but I swear Vegeta, one day I'll hear you say that you love me   
and your kids, in public!" And I had smirked and said: "Not in your lifetime!",   
just before I kissed her.   
  
I touch her cold, cold face, and whisper: "Of course I love you woman, you know   
that, don't you? I love you more then anything in this world."   
  
Too little, too late.  
  
She can't hear me now. Something wet is rolling down my cheek, and startled I   
realize it's a tear. I haven't cried since I was taken from my father (not   
counting the time I was dying at Frieza's hands), and I honestly though I'd never   
cry again. But there is no denying it. Bulma, who was to be my mate for life, has   
died, and I feel worse than I've ever felt before. I angrily wipe the tear away,   
but many others follow it. An agonized scream is building up deep inside of me,   
it keeps getting stronger and stronger until I can no longer keep it in.   
  
"BULMAAAAA!"   
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
GOKU   
  
My eyes snap open when I felt an enormous ki flare up out of no where. When I try   
to pinpoint it, I realize it's coming from Capsule Corp. "Trunks? Vegeta?" I   
mumble to myself. They could be in danger. Or maybe Vegeta has just lost his   
temper again, but I'd better check it out in case it's a new enemy. When I think   
about it, I realize I can't feel any unknown Ki, so it's probably just Vegeta's   
bad temper, but then again, I couldn't sense the androids Ki either. Anyways, it   
won't hurt to check it out.  
  
I place my fingers to my head ready to teleport using the Shunkan Idou   
(Instantanious movement), when I realize I should tell Chi Chi that I'm going   
away, she always freaks out when I leave without telling her.   
  
I gently poke her back. "Chi Chi?" No response, except for some choking sounds.   
'Ha', I think, 'I should tape this. She always denies that she snores, but this   
proves it!' I poke her again. "Chi Chi?" Still nothing. Odd… She's usually such a   
light sleeper. I put my hand on her shoulder and make her turn over, now facing   
me. I move my hand over to her face, and startled I realize her temperature is   
way up! When I turn on the light, I can see her cheeks are very red, but the rest   
of her face is pale. She's so pale that her face seems to have a blue-ish tint to   
it. She again makes choking noises, and startled I realize she's not snoring;   
she's almost choking! I panic. I've never dealt with ill people before, but this   
seems serious. I have to get her over to Bulma, she'll know what to do!   
  
I gather Chi Chi in my arms and use Shunkan Idou, instantly teleporting myself to   
Capsule Corp.   
  
I arrive in the dining room, but no one is there. I yell from the top of my lungs: "Bulma, wake up!   
Chi Chi is very ill and I need your help!"   
  
No answer. I can hear soft crying sounds coming from up the stairs, that must be   
little Bra. I feel a little awkward, being here without Bulma knowing I'm inside her house, but I really need help.   
Chi chi's condition seems to be deteriorating, her breaths are uneven and shallow   
and her face is starting to look even more blue-ish. Suddenly a desperate scream   
snaps me out of my thoughts.  
  
"BULMA!!!"   
  
VEGETA   
  
I had her head cradled in my lap, and I was gently stroking her hair. So soft and   
beautiful... She always loved it when I touched her hair like this. I'd only do   
it rarely; it comes very close to actually showing affection and I didn't want   
her to get used to that. From a distance I can hear someone calling out her name.   
The voice seems familiar. What in the... Is that Kakarot? What the hell is he   
doing here? I can hear someone come up the stairs, and moments later I can hear   
someone is knocking on our bedroom door. I quickly get up and rest Bulma's head   
on the pillow again, but I don't say anything. Slowly the door opens, revealing   
Kakarot carrying his mate.   
  
Yes, it was he all right. What's HE doing here? I want him to leave. "What are   
you doing here?" I ask him as unfriendly as possible.   
  
"Uhm... I was looking for help... Chi Chi is very ill and I thought Bulma could   
probably help her..."   
  
"Who cares what's wrong with your mate? Bulma can't help her." I fall silent   
again, and turn around. Now he'll go away and leave me alone.   
  
"Why not? I don't understand..." He walks towards the bed and stares at the still   
unmoving form of my mate. When he gently touches her face he comes to the   
inevitable conclusion. "Bulma, no... This can't be true. We need you..."   
  
"Well," I say sarcastically, "I know it must come as a terrible shock to you, but   
she's DEAD!" I practically scream the last part. My throat tightens painfully and   
it's a good thing I didn't want to say more, because I couldn't have. I quickly   
turn around to hide the tears I can feel burning behind my eyes again. I try to   
choke them back, but it's no use. The despair must have been audible in my voice,   
because Kakarot moves to stand behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder.   
  
"Oh Vegeta, I'm so sorry for you... This is horrible, I don't know what to say."   
  
"Then just say nothing and leave me alone! I don't need your goddamned sympathy!"   
I try to shrug off his hand, but it firmly remains on my shoulder.   
  
"Don't be like that Vegeta, I'm your friend and you do need sympathy right now."   
  
"No, I don't." I say, ignoring the fact that he just called himself my friend.   
I'm telling the truth. I don't need his sympathy; all I need is Bulma's arms   
around me, her lips on mine, her sweet voice saying that she loves me... Nothing   
else is important. "Just go away and do as you will. Leave us alone."  
  
He takes back his hand and I hope he will leave now, but he doesn't. "Snap out of   
it! What about your children? They'll need you now, more then ever!" Kakarot   
angrily shouts at me, and for a moment he actually sounds like a Saiyan. I wonder   
what could have gotten him so mad, but then I realize that if he cares for his   
mate as much as I cared for Bulma, he must be worried sick. It takes a while   
before I process WHAT he has said to me.   
  
My children... Oh my god, Bra! Her crying can still be heard, so at least she's   
still alive. I rush to her bedroom, leaving Kakarot behind. "You go downstairs   
and wait there," I yell at him while I run down the hall. When I arrive I blast   
the bedroom door to bits on my way in. I rush to the side of the cradle and pick   
up my daughter. She feels way too hot and her face is all red and swollen. I   
gently hold her in my arms and walk over to Trunks' room, slowly this time   
because of Bra. I open his door to find him sprawled in his bed, still breathing,   
but with the same half-choking sounds Kakarot's mate was making. When I place my  
hand on his forehead I can feel he's burning up too. There's no doubt possible:   
whatever killed my mate has also infected my children!   
  
With some difficulty I carry my two children down the stairs, where Kakarot is   
obediently waiting for me. When he takes a look at my children, his cursed   
ever-present smile falters.   
  
"So, they have it too, huh?"   
  
Give the idiot credit. "Yes. And if my brats have it, yours probably have it   
too. We both aren't ill, so I guess it's got something to do with our being   
Sayains." I say. Bowing my head I close my eyes. 'Bulma would have known what to   
do, but I'm totally lost without her.' I think angrily. I look back up at Kakarot   
for an reaction.  
  
His face suddenly takes on a shocked expression and he is silent for a bit,   
letting what I had just said sink in. When he speaks, he sounds like he's trying   
to force himself to sound like his usual cheerful carefree self, but he's not   
succeeding. His voice is laced with worry.   
  
"Yeah, you're right. I hadn't thought of that. My children probably have it too...  
But hey, don't worry! We'll just get them over to Dende and he'll heal them, and   
when they're all well again, we'll wish Bulma back with the Dragonballs."   
  
I never thought I'd see the day, but Kakarot's idea is good! Going to Dende won't   
do anything to help Bulma now, but it's not too late for Trunks and Bra. When I   
think about it some more, I come to realize that if it's some sort of disease   
that killed Bulma, it might not have been a natural death after all, meaning she   
can be wished back! "You're right, get us to Dende's lookout immediately!" I   
order him.   
  
"No Vegeta, I must go now to check on Gohan, Videl and Pan. Goten too." He   
gently laid down Chi Chi on the big sofa in the living room. "When I come back,   
I'll use Shunkan Idou to get all of us to Dende's lookout. I'll be back soon."   
  
I bite back a smart-ass remark and nod. In a flash he is gone, leaving me with my   
two ill children and his mate. I don't know what to do, how to help them. I put   
Trunks on the couch with a pillow under his head so that he can breathe more   
easily, all the while holding Bra in my arms. I sit down next to Trunks and wait   
for what seems like hours. I've never felt this helpless in my life. Of course I   
could easily fly to Dende's lookout myself, but it would take me too long, I must   
wait for Kakarot to return. I need to get a hold of myself, I still can barely   
concentrate. My father was right; love makes one weak. Still, I'd rather be weak   
with her than strong without her. Bulma...  
  
GOKU   
  
My world has been turned upside down. First my wife, now Trunks and Bra... I   
deliberately try not to think of Bulma; but it's no use, her death has come as an   
enormous shock to me. She was my first and best friend, besides Krillin perhaps,   
and I keep finding myself thinking about all the adventures we had together, what   
a good friend she really was, all the times she'd organize something just to   
reunite the gang... When I re-appear inside my house I push all thoughts of her   
aside and I quickly run over to Goten's room. It is as I had feared: whatever it   
is that infected Chichi has gotten to my son too. No matter how I try, I can't   
wake him. I decide to leave him here for a while; first I'll go check on Gohan   
and his family.   
  
When I arrive in Gohan's house, I do a quick Ki-scan. There's no one there. I   
broaden the Ki-scan, and startled I realize the usual interference is gone.   
Normally when I try to pinpoint a specific ki, it takes a lot of concentration   
because I need to ignore the static of all the other humans on the planet. There   
is hardly any interference now, and I shiver when I realize that probably means   
that almost the entire human race is dead or dying. I notice with great relief   
that Gohan's Ki still exists, although it is very week. I once again use Shunkan   
Idou to get to his location. I appear in the middle of a hospital and dead people   
are lying everywhere. The only ones alive are, to my great relief, Gohan and Pan.   
They are both lying on the ground, next to Videl. I don't sense anything from   
Videl, and when I touch her face it's cold. First Bulma, now Videl. Pan is lying  
on the ground next to her father and she looks horrible, pretty much like Bra did.   
I pick her up, place my two fingers on Gohan's head and I teleport them both   
directly to Dende's lookout.   
  
When I get there, I saw Mr. Popo standing on the edge, looking around with a   
concerned look on his face. "This is an emergency Mr. Popo, we need Dende's help,   
you must warn him immediately!"   
  
In a sad tone of voice Mr. Popo nodded. "He already knows Goku. I found him lying   
on the ground four hours ago, unconscious, screaming that all people on Earth   
were dying. I've sat by his side for hours. He reached consciousness two minutes   
ago and told me you would come here, so I left him to wait for you. Quickly, come   
inside."   
  
I follow him to the insides of the lookout. Dende is lying on his bed, shaking   
all over.   
  
"Did you know I could feel it all?" he says to me. "All the pain... Goku, billions   
and billions of people are dead, the few still alive are dying as we speak, and   
there's nothing I can do about it!" He looks terrible, and I can only imagine how   
he must feel.   
  
"Dende," I say, "we need your healing capabilities. Please, try to heal Gohan and   
Pan!" Time is of the essence, so I abruptly turn around and use Shunkan Idou to   
get Goten. Seconds later I'm back again, and I carefully lay Goten on the ground.   
Dende is still shaking, but he seems to have regained his composure a little.   
  
"Yes, you're right, I'll do the best I can."   
  
He puts his hands on Pan, and although I'd rather stay there and watch his   
progress, I know I must go get Chi Chi, Vegeta and his kids. In a flash I'm gone   
again, leaving my two sons and grandchild behind.   
  
VEGETA   
  
When he returns there's no one with him. 'Are they all dead?' I ask myself. As if   
he had heard my thoughts, Goku turns and gives me a dark look. "Videl is dead;   
Gohan, Goten and Pan are infected but still alive, and I've already brought them   
to Dende's lookout."   
  
I coldly regard him. Too bad. I didn't particularly care for any of the people he   
just mentioned, but the woman had spunk, and that's rather rare in Earthlings. On   
the rare occasions I met her she had reminded me a lot of Bulma.   
  
I pick up my son and daughter, he picks up Chi Chi, puts his hand on my forehead   
and we're gone, off to Dende's lookout, hopefully finding a way to save my   
children.   
  
End of this chapter.   
  
In the next chapter, Dende attempts to heal his friends and we find out more   
about the origin of the virus that caused all this. And yeah, there are more   
characters in DBZ than just all those handsome Saiyans, so some of them will be   
in here too. Heck, eventually practically everyone will be in this fic!  
  
  
  



	3. chapter three

Summary: No, things are not looking good for the Z-team. In the previous two chapters,   
Bulma and Videl died, Gohan, Goten, Pan, Trunks, Chi Chi and Bra were seriously ill, and   
Vegeta and Goku had brought those members of their family still alive to Dende's lookout,   
hoping Dende could heal them...   
  
Apocalypse   
  
Chapter three   
  
18 (Juuhachigou)   
  
I stand at the freshly dug grave. Rare tears are rolling down my cheeks, and I feel like   
there's a hole inside my heart. I'm incomplete. I feel the need to say something, but   
anything can I think of is just a hollow sentence, not good enough for you. I'll just   
think the words, for where you are now it will make no difference whether I speak or   
think.   
Thank you, Krillin, for being the kind, gentle person you were. Thank you for seeing   
something good in me, for saving my life when you should have destroyed me. Thank you for   
believing in me, trusting me. And most of all, thank you for loving me. All I had before   
I met you was anger and hate, and you filled my life with love. I knew I would outlive   
you, my husband, but I had never thought it would end like this. You should have seen   
Marron grow up, and hopefully have kids of her own. I know you would have loved to have   
grandchildren, as would I.   
  
My mouth has turned very dry, and I know it's because the saliva glands are no longer   
functioning. Slowly my body is shutting down, organ by organ, and there is nothing I can   
do. Whatever is was that killed Krillin has infected me too, and if I had been fully   
human, I too, would already have been dead by now.  
I had been very ill, but all of a sudden the illness was over. I felt a little weird,   
but otherwise fine. I know now that would have been the time where I would have died if   
it weren't for my cybernetic parts. Now my biological parts are already starting to decay,  
I can smell it. It makes me want to go inside and take a shower until I can no longer smell   
that awful stench anymore, but I know it's no use. I should probably get inside now that I   
can still walk.  
I push back the panicky feeling I can feel in the pit of my stomach. I've always been   
calm and composed, and I know panicking won't do my any good. There's still something I   
have to do inside. Before I die.   
  
With a last wistful look at the grave I whisper: "Farewell for now, Krillin."   
  
When I get inside, I stare at the telephone for a while, but I've long time ago come to   
the conclusion that there is no help. Krillin is dead, Marron is gravely ill, and I'm   
too damned weak to do anything. The phone works fine but there's no one left to contact.   
Every time I do a general Ki scan there are fewer and fewer ki signatures left. The   
population of the entire planet is dying. I can feel it. It won't be long before I join   
them. The cascade failure has already started, and the knowledge that I'll be dead within   
a day is overwhelming my last remaining bit of self-control.  
  
I get down on my knees, and feel like crying, but startled I realize I can't cry anymore.  
I feel like crying, but my tear glands won't respond. The strange feeling I've had all day   
is getting stronger by the minute. I can't really explain what it feels like to have your   
body decaying while you're still alive, but it's the most horrible experience I've ever   
had in my life. It makes being absorbed by Cell seem like a walk in the park. To know   
that I'm dying, and to know there's absolutely NOTHING I can do about it... I realize I   
might lose my mind if I continue thinking about this, but does it really matter if I do   
lose my mind? No one will be left by that time, and even I won't live long enough to   
regret my insanity. Destructing things has always made me feel better, and letting go of   
my sanity will deliver me from the torment of my rapidly decaying body. NO, I can't give   
in. Not yet. Marron is still alive. I must take care of her first.   
  
I go upstairs, to Marron's bedroom. Amazingly she's still alive. Maybe she's more   
resilient because she's still young, who knows? I sit down, and fetch the wet cloth I had   
put down on the chair besides her bed before I had gotten down the stairs and buried   
Krillin. She hasn't been conscious for two days, and I fear the dehydration will kill her   
before the illness does. I decide to once again try to get her to drink something. To my   
surprise she isn't struggling anymore, and she seems eager to drink. I'm glad I can do her   
that small favor.   
  
Still, I didn't come here to prolong her suffering. I gently kiss her warm forehead while   
a Ki blast is gathering in my hand. The blast grows stronger and stronger, up till the   
point it is strong enough to instantly vaporize her, taking the house and me with her.   
The amount of energy it takes to make the blast is out of proportion, I used to be much   
more powerful, but at the moment I'm grateful for even this relatively small amount of   
power. It will put both of us out of our misery.  
  
Just when I'm ready to fire the blast, Marron turns her head in my direction and opens   
her eyes. "Daddy?" she whispers. Although her eyes are open I know she doesn't see me.   
"Mommy? Where are you? It's so hot. I want to swim. Please mommy? Please?" Her eyes close   
again and she starts to toss and turn.   
  
I stand there, Ki blast in my hand, and I realize I can't do it. She's my daughter, and   
even though her chances at survival are slim at best, it still isn't completely sure she   
will die, and I can't take her chance to live away from her. The energy dissolves, and I   
gently wipe the wet cloth over her forehead again. Is it my imagination or is she feeling   
a little bit cooler now? It's probably a malfunction in my heath-sensors, but still,   
Marron might live. I don't have the right to play God.  
  
All of a sudden my left legs collapses under me, and I fall to the floor. I manage to   
get up, and lie down on the bed next to Marron. Gathering the energy for the blast has   
taken too much from me, I can't go on anymore. I don't know if I should stay here, but I   
realize that's an irrelevant question, since I'm to weak to go somewhere else. I'll just   
hope Marron won't be too scared if she sees my dead body when she wakes.   
  
Krillin, it won't be long until we're reunited.   
  
GOKU   
  
My plan has failed. Dende kept trying to heal her until he was so week he actually lost   
consciousness, but it was no use.   
  
Chi Chi has died.   
  
All the others are doing better and Gohan has actually reached consciousness again, but   
Chi Chi...is gone. I had been with her all the time while Dende was trying to heal her,   
but she never regained consciousness. I'm still holding her hand now, unwilling to accept   
the truth. I place a last kiss on her cold lips and I feel like my heart has been broken   
into a million tiny pieces, but my eyes remain completely dry. I can't cry now, I must   
remain focused. They need me. Vegeta is completely out of it, the death of his wife has   
hit him much harder then I had expected. Maybe below his arrogant, indifferent exterior   
he really loved her. Who knows? Now that his kids are doing better he is completely   
ignoring his environment, retreating in himself. I know that's not a good sign, but I   
have other things on my mind right now, I'll have to deal with Vegeta some other time.   
  
When I look in the direction of my oldest son, I can see he is sitting up straight,   
carefully holding Pan in his arms. With a last wistful glance at Chi Chi I get up and   
walk over to him. I am relieved to see Pans face has regained a normal color, and when I   
put my hand on her forehead I can feel her temperature is back to normal as well.   
  
Gohan looks at me, and hesitantly he asks: "Were's Videl?"   
  
The hopeful look in his eyes is almost more than I can bear. How can I tell him she died?   
I slowly shake my head. "I'm sorry son, but she didn't make it." Tears well up in his   
eyes.   
  
"I knew that, dad, but deep in my heart I kept on hoping it had all been a bad dream." He   
looks in the direction I came from, and asks: "And mum?"   
  
No matter how much I try, the tears can no longer be stopped. I can barely speak, but I   
still manage to say: "She didn't make it either."   
  
"Oh dad..." He gently puts Pan down and gets up. He hugs me, trying to hide his face in   
my chest just like he used to do when he was a little boy, and after a moment of   
hesitation I hug him back. Gohan is crying uncontrollably now, and I don't know what to   
do, anything I could say would just be a hollow phrase, so I just hold him. At least we   
still have each other, and Goten and Pan. After standing like that for quite some time   
I'm starting to feel a little awkward. I'm not used to showing my emotions this openly,   
and I take a step backwards. Gohan seems to get the message. He sniffs one more time and   
wipes his tears away with his sleeve.   
  
"OK, this is bad... But at least we can still wish them back with the Dragonballs, right   
dad?"   
  
"Huh? Oh yeah! You're right Gohan!" It had slipped my mind when Chi Chi had died, but he   
is right. None of the people that had died had already been wished back, so there was no   
reason why we shouldn't be able to wish them back. That's the first time I start thinking   
about other people then the members of my family. What about Krillin? And Yamcha? And   
Tien? Piccolo? If Krillin had died, it would be for good this time, because he had already   
been wished back twice, with both the Earth and the Namekian Dragonballs. I need to know   
how they are all doing!   
  
"So Gohan, you're feeling better now aren't you?"   
  
"Well, I'm still a little week, but I guess I can manage...we really should find out how   
all the others are doing!" For a moment I wondered if he had read my mind, considering I   
had been thinking the exact same thing just a few moments ago, but then I realized it was   
only logical for him to think about all the others. He cares a great deal about them,   
especially Piccolo. Gohan continued: "But if it's all the same to you, I'd rather wait   
with that for a while, first I want to be sure Pan is all right."   
  
I agreed with him. I care a great deal about my friends, especially Krillin, but my   
family is just much more important.   
  
"You're right Gohan, and after all, we're not really in a hurry. There's nothing we can   
do for them anyway, so we might as well wait here so see if Goten and Pan are going to be   
all right and THEN go see how all the others are doing."   
  
"And after that, we will go find the Dragonballs and wish everyone back, won't we Dad?"   
He looked a little better now, and I was proud he was handling the situation so well.   
  
"Yes, and then everything will be all right again." I had a strange feeling in the pit of   
my stomach, but I pushed it aside and smiled at Gohan.   
  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   
  
  
Meanwhile, on a space ship circling the earth, there was a small celebration being held.   
Just one hour ago, the message of their success had been transmitted to the Swarm. It had   
said:   
  
"Annihilation complete. The dominant bipedal race has been exterminated; the few remaining   
survivors will not cause us any trouble. Planet is ready for Vhnori colonization and   
mineral stripping."   
  
The Vhnori were an insectoid race, physically baring a strong resemblance to locusts.   
They were organized in Swarms, each swarm ruled by a Queen. Beneath the Queen came her   
fertile daughters, then the breeders (fertile males), then the soldiers, and finally,   
lowest in the hierarchy, the scouts. Both the scouts and the soldiers were infertile.   
  
No one knew where the Swarm had originated, nor did any member of the Vhnori race really   
care. For as long as they could remember they had traveled the galaxy, searching for   
planets that could sustain them. Once the planet's resources were completely exhausted,   
they would leave, the search beginning anew. In their wake only dead planets remained,   
void of all life or even useful elements.   
  
All people aboard this vessel were scouts, which meant they were all expandable. They had   
been in orbit for almost two years, all the while remaining cloaked, studying the planet   
for defense systems, useful technology and that sort of things. They had only decloaked   
twice, once to get some human guinea pigs to test the virus on, and once to actually   
spread the completed virus. The virus had been Karn's invention. It had been specifically   
designed to attack any living being with a certain genetic code that was only present in   
human genome.   
  
To his horror, it had worked perfectly. The entire population of this planet's dominant   
race was exterminated. He should be shrilled like all the others because their task had   
been successfully completed, but he wasn't. Ever since he was born he had been different.   
He actually thought about the things he was ordered to do. At a very young age he had   
learned that having an opinion of your own was very dangerous, and he had remained silent   
ever since, careful not to reveal he was different. All he could feel right now was guilt.   
A virus he had created had completely destroyed a sentient, intelligent race, all because   
he didn't have the guts to speak up. He stood with his back to the others. They wouldn't   
understand how he felt, and even if they would, nothing could be done about it now. It   
was too late. He had the blood of 9 billion living creatures on his hands. OK, they had   
only been lower life forms, mere mammals, but still...  
  
Tol'gar walked up to him and her antennae twitched excitedly. "Honor and eternal glory to   
you, Karn, for excelling at your task. This is the highest extermination ratio ever to be   
recorded! It's a glorious day for the Swarm!"   
  
Karn sighted. Why couldn't he be like her, and be content doing the Queen's biddings,   
never thinking about the results of his actions. She was his friend, his only friend in   
fact, but he couldn't talk about the way he felt. He had tried once before, and she had   
insisted he be examined to see if he was still functioning properly. 'Just like she   
should have,' he thought. 'A defective worker could pose a huge threat to the safety of   
all members of the Swarm, I know she did the right thing, but what if they would have   
found me defective?' He already knew the answer.  
  
Termination.  
  
The Vhnori were technically very advanced, mainly because of all the technology they   
stole after they had wiped out it's inventors, but a worker was worth nothing, not worth   
the time or trouble. It was much easier to just breed another one. 'Tol'gar knew that,'   
he continued his train of thought, 'but still she did what she was supposed to do, even   
though she knew it could have gotten me terminated. The really bad part is that I wouldn't  
have had HER examined, even though she might prove a risk to us all. She's my friend,   
and I want her to stay here with me.' Tol'Gar looked at him expectantly and he realized   
he hadn't reacted to her praise yet. He merely made an unhappy sounding chirping sound   
and said: "Yes, a glorious day indeed."   
  
Tol'gar looked at him curiously, but he would say nothing more.   
  
End of this chapter   
  
In the next chapter, those not already dead recover, the search for the Dragonballs   
starts, and some more info on the would-be conquerors of Earth... Oh, and Piccolo is in   
it too. Yep, he's going to be one of the stars in this fic!   
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
